When Snow Falls
by April1
Summary: R/T: A simple gift from mother nature changes everything.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Summary: R/T, A simple gift from mother nature changes everything.

Author's Note: This fan fiction takes place after the events that occurred in _The Third Lorelai._

Rory rolled over in her bed, snuggling further under the covers. As she prepared to fall back to sleep, the scene outside of her window made her sit up in bed with shock. The morning light filtering into the bedroom was weak, due to the layer of snow and ice forming a film over the glass.

"The end of March and it's snowing?" Rory padded over to the window and looked outside. The Gilmore's yard was a wonderland with a pristine covering of undisturbed snow. Not a soul in Stars Hollow appeared to have stirred from their cozy beds. _I was hoping for warm weather, but this is beautiful._ The snowfalls in the middle of winter couldn't hold a candle to the beauty that was spread out in front of Rory that morning. Snowflakes froze against the glass as they hit the window, outlining their brilliant shapes. It was amazing that something which seemed so simple could actually be so complex. _Each one different from the next...just like people._ In the past month, Rory had come to know the truth to that statement more than she ever thought she would. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. People around her had changed, and she had as well. As Rory thought back over the past month, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Rory was jolted out of her musings by a loud crash that came from down the hall, accompanied by quiet grumbling. "Mom, you okay?"

Lorelai came bounding into the room, tugging a sled along behind her. "Good morning, sweetie! I was just getting the old sled out of the closet." A giddy grin spread across her face.

Rory stared at Lorelai in disbelief. "It's 7:00 in the morning."

"You are quite right."

"On a Saturday."

"Thank god."

"Are you coming down with something?"

"It's the snow." Lorelai bounced over to the window. "When there's snow, I'm wide awake."

Rory chuckled. "I can see that." She watched as Lorelai went over to the closet and started to toss scarves, hats, and gloves at her.

From under a mountain of clothes, Rory's voice was muffled. "Wow, spring cleaning time?"

Lorelai scoffed. "There's at least six inches of fresh snow out there, and we are so not letting it go to waste. We're going sledding, missy!" Lorelai turned and beamed at her daughter.

"I think I need to hide the coffee now."

"I've only had one cup."

When Rory raised her eyebrows, Lorelai sighed. "Okay, two. Daughter, you know me too well."

Rory smiled. "Yes I do."

Lorelai put her hands on her hips. "Now get dressed. We're going to Luke's and then Beaver's Hill."

"Whoa, take charge why don't you?"

"I like to think that leadership is one of my key traits," Lorelai whispered conspiratorially as she started to walk out of the room.

"Can I call Lane and see if she can come?"

"Sure, but hurry!"

"Aye, aye Captain Gilmore!" Rory gave her mom a mock salute.

"I heard that." Lorelai stuck her head back around the door before hurrying down the hall.

*****

Later, Rory and Lorelai were navigating the jeep carefully down the road with Luke following closely in his truck. Rory glanced out the back window at Luke. "I can't believe you convinced him to come."

Lorelai shrugged. "I just explained to him how much the good people of Stars Hollow worship the oven he cooks on, and that I would die without his fresh coffee and doughnuts. I think I had him persuaded into believing that I would freeze permanently into a snowman, er...woman, if he didn't come. So he agreed, of course."

Rory reached forward to turn up the heat, and then looked at Lane sitting in the back seat. She had been trying to suppress laughter since they had first picked Lane up that morning. She had waddled out of her house, barely able to move due to being bundled up in heavy layers of clothing. Mrs. Kim had only agreed to let her daughter come along to Beaver's Hill if she would wear a snow hat, mittens, earmuffs, a large coat, and long underwear under her jeans.

Rory jokingly pulled Lane's hat over her eyes. "Come on. It'll be fun!"

Lane picked at the coat that engulfed her. "Yeah, if I could move," she said while rolling her eyes dramatically.

"You look cute. Plus, if you can't move, that means I'm obligated to pull you around on the sled."

"I would definitely take advantage of that," Lorelai chimed in.

"Yeah, but that means you couldn't do the super-duper belly slide down the hill," Lane protested.

While Lane and Lorelai discussed the merits and different techniques to sledding, Rory gazed out the side window. The heavy snowfall had lessened to steady flurries that peppered the world with more white softness. The tree limbs shifted in the light breeze, occasionally sending little clouds of snow blowing off the branches. Rory had been going to Beaver's Hill with her mom every winter since she could remember. Conveniently located behind the Independence Inn, the gently sloping, but wide hill, was a perfect spot for sledding. In fact, it was well known around the area for just that very reason. Though people from different places came to the hill, the residents of Stars Hollow considered it their own natural wonder.

As Lorelai pulled into the parking lot of the Inn, Rory's eyes widened in astonishment. The lot was nearly filled with cars.

"Is there a convention this weekend?" Lane rubbed at the fogged up window with her gloved hand.

Lorelai peered out of the front window of the jeep, looking for a parking space. "Nope. This is a slow weekend since the news has been predicting bad weather."

Rory pointed to a car parked one row over. "There's Miss Patty's car. She must have decided to go sledding too."

Lorelai chuckled in amusement. "Word sure travels fast around these here parts," she said, attempting to sound like a cowgirl but failing.

Lane slapped the back of the seat. "Yee haw!"

"Oh, there's a space!" Lorelai stepped down on the brake suddenly, resulting in loud horn blasts from Luke's truck. He had been following behind them and had almost run into the back of the jeep. Lorelai glanced behind her and saw Luke waving his hands and muttering.

"All right, all right." Lorelai waved at him cheerfully and then pulled into the space. "He better not have spilled my coffee," she mumbled.

The girls climbed out of the jeep, while Lorelai went over to talk to Luke. Lane scanned the various vehicles. "Do you recognize any of these?"

Rory shook her head. "Sometimes people from surrounding towns come here."

"Oh, that's right. I didn't even think about that."

They walked over to where Lorelai was struggling to get the sleds out of the jeep. "Where did Luke go?" Rory asked while pulling a sled out and setting it on the ground.

Lorelai rubbed her shoulder. "I think I pulled something. Luke went up to the inn to get a table for my coffee and doughnuts."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to share those goodies." Rory gestured to all the cars.

"There's a pot of coffee with my name on it. Come on, let's go!" Lorelai headed towards the back of the inn, pulling one of the sleds behind her.

"You heard the woman." Lane grabbed the other sled, and she and Rory followed Lorelai.

When they reached Beaver's Hill, they stood in awe of the crowd spread out before them. "Wow, this is like shoe sales at the mall, but colder and minus the red sale dots. I see a lot of red noses though," Lorelai murmured.

Sleds whizzed by them down the hill with the passengers yelling in delight. Off to the side, Rory saw a group of children building snowmen while their parents tried to keep them on task. Looking back towards the inn, she saw Luke and two other men carrying a table down to the hill to house his refreshments. Rory pulled her coat tightly around her. The air was frigid, but she knew she would warm up after a few runs down the hill.

Lane pointed to a couple sitting on one of the benches kissing. "I bet they're really warm right now." When the girl turned, Lane got a closer look at her face. "Hey, doesn't she go to Chilton?"

Rory nodded, her brow furrowed. "Yeah, that's Louise. I didn't think anyone from Chilton would be out here." Looking around, she saw several more faces she recognized from Chilton's halls.

"I guess they wanted to have some non-formal, old-fashioned fun for a change," Lane commented.

Rory couldn't help but wonder if all these students from Chilton were here then maybe...No. He wouldn't be here. She was surprised to feel disappointment course through her body. _Add that to the other confusing feelings I've been having lately. _

When Rory didn't respond, Lane noticed that her friend seemed to be lost in thought. That was unusual for Rory, because she almost always had something to say about everything.

Gently, she tugged on the sleeve of Rory's coat. "Earth to Rory."

"Yeah?" Rory quickly pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind.

"How about we do some of that sledding now?" Lorelai returned from Luke's table, a mug of coffee in hand.

"You got it sister!" Rory smiled, and prepared to give Lane a push down the hill, before heading down on her own sled.

"I'm next," Lorelai said as she put her arm around her daughter.

*****

Tristan Dugray shifted slightly in his position on the bench. All around him people, young and old, shouted with glee, but he remained silent. For the amount of time Tristan had been at the hill, several girls from Chilton and even ones he didn't know, had approached him, asking if he wanted to share their sled. He politely, but firmly, declined. Tristan knew they just wanted an excuse to wrap their arms around him and press their bodies up against his. There was only one girl whose arms Tristan wanted to feel around him, and he feared he would never get that chance.

Rory Gilmore. She consumed his thoughts, and lately even his dreams. Tristan wasn't going to fool himself. He didn't come here today for sledding. Heck, he hadn't even brought a sled. Early in the winter, some students at Chilton mentioned Beaver's Hill in Stars Hollow and what an excellent spot it was for sledding. Tristan knew that Rory lived there, and given the weather conditions, had let himself hope that he would see her. Sure, he saw her in classes every day, but he wanted more. He wanted to see the home of the girl who completely fascinated him.

Tristan wasn't used to feeling this way. He ran a hand through his blond hair, tousled from the light breeze. Everywhere he went, girls had always fallen at his feet except for Rory. She had refused every single one of his advances. Her witty remarks had amused him, to the point where he would torment her just to see the heat cascade through those beautiful eyes. There was no denying that Tristan had been attracted to Rory from the beginning. However, she had been something for him to conquer, to prove to everyone that he could have her.

Everything had begun to change at the dance. When he saw Rory, absolutely stunning in her dress, gazing tenderly into her jerk of a boyfriend's eyes, a flood of jealousy ran through him. Tristan wanted her to look at him that way. Yet, he knew she never would. He didn't deserve her. In classes, he had found himself staring at her, unable to look away. He didn't care who saw him. Her every feature was branded in his memory. It was almost as if he couldn't get enough. The girl who had been somewhat of a trophy to him had come to mean so much more than any other girl he had encountered before. Tristan had been scared and confused.

When he kissed her at the party it had become clear. Rory had become extremely special to him. _She was so close, that I had to take that chance and kiss her. I don't regret it, because she kissed me back. I have never felt so alive as I did at that moment. But when Rory pulled back suddenly, those extraordinary blue eyes were filling with tears._ Later, Rory had explained that it was Dean who had caused her to be upset. _Dean. Of course._

When Rory suggested that he date Paris, he was taken slightly aback. Nevertheless, Tristan had agreed. Rory's opinion had mattered more to him than he was willing to admit at that point. _I did it for you, Rory. Yeah, Paris and I had a good time, but we are better off as friends. She certainly did not make me feel the way I do when I'm around you. No girl but you can do that. That's what frightens me._

Tristan had told Rory that he didn't want to continue dating Paris, because he liked somebody else. _She thought I wasn't over Summer. Rory, can't you see that I just dated Summer to make you jealous? _You _are the somebody else. She still doesn't seem to know that I meant her. I know I should be thankful that Rory and I are friends now, but that's all she sees me as. A friend. How am I supposed to be close to her every day, knowing that I can't take her into my arms and hold her? _Tristan was brought out of his thoughts by the exquisite laugh that never failed to bring his heart to his knees.

His eyes sought for the source, and then he saw her. Rory was standing with another girl and a woman, who must have been her mother. He watched as the women playfully argued over who had the best sledding technique. Tristan knew he was blatantly staring, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the girl in front of him. The whiteness of the snow reflected in Rory's eyes, making them sparkle like sapphires. Her cheeks, normally rosy, were even more so due to the icy air and the pure exuberance of her spirit. He had never met anyone like Rory Gilmore. She had such a passion for life that was unrivaled, especially by his so called friends from Chilton. Every new thing Tristan learned about her was like discovering a buried treasure. It mystified Tristan that Rory didn't even seem to be aware of her own beauty. It simply radiated from her. Right now, Tristan was looking at the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

Rory reached down and scooped up a handful of snow. She shaped the snow into a ball, and turned to aim at her friend. When she looked up in mid throw, Tristan was sure that she had spotted him, but her eyes were focused in the opposite direction. He followed the line of her gaze, and what he saw made his hand clench involuntarily into a fist. It was her ex-boyfriend, Dean, and he wasn't alone. The idiot had his arms around a blond girl, kissing her hungrily in front of everyone. _How can he be so disrespectful of Rory? _Tristan shot a glance back over at Rory, preparing himself to see her crestfallen face. Instead, a smile had resumed its place on her face, and she was once again laughing at her mother. Tristan couldn't stop the grin that formed on his face. _So she has gotten over Dean. Then maybe... Stop kidding yourself, Dugray. No matter how much you want her, she'll never return your feelings, _Tristan thought wearily.

*****

"Okay, okay! Time out!," Lane called to Rory and Lorelai, who were converging on her armed with two snowballs in each hand. "I'm going to go get some hot chocolate. You guys want any?"

Rory nodded, out of breath from the impromptu snowball fight. She sat down on the sled and waited while her mom went with Lane to Luke's stand. Surveying the people around her, she noticed a young man sitting on a bench a little ways away, and he appeared to be looking in her direction. He looked familiar, so Rory squinted to get a closer view of his face. The guy had his coat collar pulled around his chin to ward off the chill, but she knew exactly who he was. The guy who had once annoyed her to no end, had shown her a completely different side over the past month.

__

Tristan.

A few months ago, if anyone had told her that she and Tristan would be friends, Rory would have told them to visit a psychiatrist. But that was exactly what they had become. He really was a nice guy once he let down the cocky act that he often put on. As her gaze locked with Tristan's, Rory was flustered to feel a blush spreading up her neck to her face. A smile curled at the corners of Tristan's lips, and Rory watched as he lifted his tall frame off the bench and started to make his way toward her.

Rory jumped when a hand grabbed hold of her arm. "Rory, will you come help me get fresh doughnuts and coffee from the inn? Luke's run out and your mom is threatening to use his head on her snowman, complete with a corncob pipe," Lane explained impatiently.

Rory let her friend pull her to her feet. "Sure. We can't let her turn Luke into Frosty." Sending one last look in Tristan's direction, she turned and followed Lane up to the inn. _The sooner I get my mind on something else, the better._

*****

Miss Patty sauntered carefully across the snow covered ground, her feet sliding on the ice. She eyed Luke lustily as she made her way over to his table. When she reached it, she propped her elbows on the wood surface, pushing her chest forward. When Miss Patty cleared her throat, Luke slowly looked up from the mugs he was filling with hot coffee.

"What can I get you Patty?" Luke opened one of the boxes of doughnuts that Rory and Lane had brought out for him and began arranging the pastries on a tray.

Miss Patty chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know," she said in what she hoped was a sultry voice.

When Luke continued to place doughnuts on the tray, unfazed, she grabbed a mug of coffee and walked away, swinging her hips. As Miss Patty passed by a bench, she noticed it was occupied by a young man looking forlorn. _Oh my. What a tasty morsel you are._

Tristan was lost in thought when he felt someone squeeze onto the bench beside of him. He looked up to see a woman staring at him like he was on sale at the meat market. Uneasy, he moved over a little on the bench.

"Hello there. I'm Patty, and who might you be?"

"Um...Tristan," he replied.

"Tristan." Patty let his name roll over her tongue. "I don't believe I've seen you around here before."

"I'm from Hartford." Tristan wondered why he was telling her this, but Patty didn't seem quite like the stalker type.

"Oooh. Why don't I take this opportunity to show you around Stars Hollow." She winked at him. "I'm a dance instructor. Would you like to see my studio?" Tristan raised his eyebrows as she began rubbing her hand slowly over his thigh.

"I'm sixteen."

"Isn't that nice? We could..." Miss Patty stopped suddenly when Tristan's words sank in. "You're sixteen." She forced a laugh, trying unsuccessfully to disguise her embarrassment.

Tristan watched her in amusement while she patted his knee and muttered something unintelligible. Patty stood up quickly and maneuvered her way through the people sledding. The laughter Tristan had been trying to hold in finally escaped.

*****

Rory stepped back from where she had been watching the exchange between Tristan and Miss Patty with interest. The nervous look on Tristan's face had been priceless. The carefree laughter spilling from him now testified to the fact that this was not the same Tristan she had encountered on that fateful first day at Chilton. He truly had changed. She found herself captivated.

Tristan's laughter died in his throat when he saw Rory staring at him intently. Before he could call out to her, she turned around quickly and hurried away. _What was that about?,_ Tristan wondered.

As Rory headed back to her mom and Lane, she tried to put Tristan out of her mind. For some reason, she knew that was going to be easier said than done.

*****

Lorelai dragged herself and the sled up the hill. When she reached Rory and Lane, she fell onto the bench, exhausted. "I think I've frozen my giblets."

"Giblets? Isn't that like a body part on a chicken?" Lane wrinkled her nose.

Lorelai sat up from her slumped position excitedly. "On Sesame Street, when Big Bird comes in from being outside in the cold, he says that he froze his giblets."

Rory nodded. "That's the one when they try to determine how Santa Claus gets down the chimney. Very scientific. I watched it all the time when I was little."

Lorelai grinned. " I still do."

"There is such a thing as too much TV, you know." Lane raised an eyebrow.

Lorelai patted Lane on her head. "Not in my world. Big Bird is my role model and I want to marry Elmo," she whispered.

"A little young for you, don't you think?"

"So? All he does is giggle, and he's adorable. Who wouldn't want a man like that?"

Lane stood up and pulled on Rory and Lorelai's arms. "It's official. The snow is affecting your brains."

Lorelai checked her watch and sighed. "Time flies when you're having fun. You girls ready to go?"

Lane agreed and went to get one of the sleds. Lorelai turned to Rory and put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "What do you say we go up to the inn and annoy Sookie until she makes us chocolate cake with fudge frosting?"

"You two go ahead. I want to stay out here for a little while."

"Are you okay sweetie?" Lorelai studied Rory's face carefully, seeing that something seemed to be bothering her.

Rory hugged her mom tightly. "I'm fine," she said, trying to reassure Lorelai.

"Well, all right," Lorelai replied, still skeptical. "We'll wait for you up at the inn. Don't stay out here too long though. It looks like it's going to start snowing again." She glanced up at the threatening, gray clouds overhead.

After Rory promised that she would leave in a few minutes, Lane and Lorelai headed up to the inn. Rory took a deep breath and sat down on the bench, stretching out her tired muscles. Almost all of the sledders had either gone home or up to the inn to rest in front of a crackling fire. The thought of warmth appealed to Rory at that moment, but there was something almost peaceful about sitting at the top of the hill, surrounded by silence.

Rory turned her head quickly when she saw the flash of movement from the corner of her eye. A few feet away, a rabbit, as white as the snow, sat watching her quietly. It scampered away as the last group of sledders passed by on the way to their cars. She looked up in surprise when a tall shadow fell over her.

"Rory."

Rory stuffed her hands further into her pockets as she watched Dean scuff his boots in the snow. "Hey," she replied, hesitating. This was the first time that he had attempted to start a conversation with her since they had broken up.

Dean ran a hand through his brown hair. "Look, I just want to let you know I'm sorry for what I said that night. I should have understood where you were coming from, and I apologize for that."

"It's all right. We can't go back and change it now. There's no need for you to apologize."

Dean looked around nervously. "Yeah...well..."

Rory smiled up at him. "You were a great boyfriend Dean. What happened doesn't change that."

"I cared about you Rory. I still do. I hope we can be friends. You know...hang out sometimes."

"I'd like that." Rory gestured towards the blonde girl waiting for Dean a few feet away. "Besides, I think she wants to spend time with you right now."

"Yeah." Dean grinned sheepishly. "I better go."

Rory waved as Dean walked over to the girl and put his arm around her while they headed toward his car. She was glad that he seemed to be happy now, and that they may eventually manage to be friends. Rory knew that she would always care about Dean, just not in the way that she had before. When she had finally let herself cry for him, at first she didn't know how she would ever get over the breakup, but then it just got easier. Though she would never forget the good times they had together, the pain had definitely eased. Rory thought back to the night when the tears she had held back finally fell. _The night Tristan... _She put her fingers to her lips, remembering his gentle touch. She was bewildered when she felt a shiver run through her as she recalled the way he had seemed to see deep into her soul that night when he had looked at her. _What am I doing?_ She ran a hand over her forehead, sighing. The beautiful surroundings had finally taken their toll on her, and she had gotten caught up in them. Rory reached down with her gloved hand, grabbed a handful of snow, and let it fall slowly through her fingers. _When did things ever seem this complicated?_

"Hey Rory."

Slowly, Rory turned around. She knew who had spoken before she even raised her eyes to his.

__

Tristan.

__

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Rory cleared her throat nervously as she watched Tristan make his way around the bench to stand in front of her. "Hi, Tristan."

"Don't sound so excited to see me," he teased. Tristan sat down beside of her and rubbed his palms on his khakis, before smiling at her briefly. "I wanted to talk to you earlier, but you kept running away."

"My mother was about to give new meaning to the song _Frosty the Snowman_."

When Tristan seemed confused, Rory laughed lightly. "It's a long, sordid story." She nudged him with her shoulder. "So, what brings you to Stars Hollow on a day like this?

He swallowed, trying to refrain from saying _you_. "Well, I've heard people at Chilton talk about Beaver's Hill..."

Rory raised her eyebrows. "Wow. You must really like sledding since you came out here."

"Something like that."

Rory turned to look at Tristan, startled to find him studying her. She averted her eyes, concentrating on removing a loose thread hanging from her glove. As she tugged on the pesky thread, her shoulder brushed up against his.

"Rory, I..."

"I probably should be heading up to the inn. I told my mom I wouldn't be out here long," Rory interrupted. She stood up briskly, her legs feeling like they were made of rubber. Tristan stood up as well, turning around to check the bench.

"Did you lose something?" Rory asked, puzzled.

"You didn't bring a book." It was more of a statement than a question.

When Tristan turned to face her, she saw a trace of the smirk that was so characteristic of him. "I thought you took every chance you could to catch up on your reading." Tristan cheered mentally, knowing exactly where this conversation would go if Rory took the bait. And she did.

Rory remembered that was exactly what she had told him the night of Madeline's party. "Well, this is...this is different. That was a party...it was boring....and...and there was nothing to do." As soon as the words were out of Rory's mouth, she regretted them. Frustrated at her lack of verbal capabilities, she could have kicked herself.

Tristan rocked back on his heels, the smirk still present. "Oh, it seemed like you were pretty well entertained that night."

As Rory caught the true meaning of his statement, a blush began to creep up her cheeks. She turned on her heel and headed toward the inn, hearing Tristan's footsteps crunching on the snow behind her. She quickened her pace, and suddenly her feet slid out from beneath her as she stepped on a piece of ice. One of Rory's hands shot out to brace for the impact when strong arms came from behind her to grip her around the waist. Tristan grasped Rory's shoulders lightly and turned her around to face him. Reaching out, he tucked a loose tendril of silky hair behind her ear. Tristan slowly trailed his finger down her jaw line to under her chin, and gently lifted it so she was looking into his eyes.

"Are you okay?" When Rory didn't answer, he reached down to grip her hand lightly, pulling back in concern when she winced. "You're hurt."

"I think I scraped my hand on the ice when I fell. It's no big deal," Rory managed to stammer.

Tenderly, Tristan took Rory's hand in his larger one, pulling her glove off so he could examine her hand more closely. The scrape wasn't deep, but it was spread over the palm of her hand. As he ran his finger over the scrape lightly, he saw the grimace that Rory tried to hide. Bending his head, Tristan began to blow gently on her palm.

Rory stood in front of Tristan, frozen in place, feeling nothing but Tristan's warm breath on her hand. Her pulse had accelerated to a rapid pounding in her head, and she was sure he could hear it. What she didn't know, was that his heartbeat could easily have matched hers. Rory flexed her feet and took a few steps back, away from Tristan. "I... I really should be going in. My mom might be bored and we've had that happen before. She'll start taking things apart and putting them back together. Not a pretty picture. She did that before with the toilet pump, and we had to go next door whenever we had to use the bathroom... Just please ignore the fact that I ever told you that." The babbling had begun.

Tristan stared at her for a moment, and unreadable expression on his features. "Yeah, let's get you warm."

When Rory turned to walk in the direction of the inn, she realized she was still grasping his hand. She jerked it away and shoved her hands in the pockets of her coat, the one Tristan had held still tingling from his touch.

When they entered the lobby, conversation stopped as faces turned to gawk at the two teenagers. Tristan leaned down to whisper in Rory's ear. "Suspicious group, aren't they?"

"They just want to know who you are. Welcome to Stars Hollow, Tristan," Rory whispered back, refusing to acknowledge the way his breath had tickled her ear. Giving herself a mental shake, she went over to her mom and Lane. Lorelai turned and greeted Rory, then gazed at Tristan curiously.

"Mom... this is Tristan."

"A pleasure to meet you." Tristan reached out to shake hands with Lorelai.

Lorelai took his hand firmly. "Ah, so this is the guy who won't call my daughter by her real name. It's Rory. Say it with me, Tristan. Ro-ry. Just like Hooked on Phonics."

Tristan glanced away, embarrassed. Lorelai grinned. "Aw. Little boys will be little boys, right?"

Rory figured it would be a good time to speak up. "Um, and this is my best friend, Lane." Rory looked over at Lane, who was standing wide-eyed gazing at Tristan.

"Lane, would you like a cup to catch the drool?" Lorelai teased innocently.

Lane blinked several times before extending her hand. "Lane Kim," she introduced herself cheerfully.

"So, are we ready to leave yet?" Rory asked her mom, hoping she would say yes.

Lorelai was distracted from answering her when Michel strolled over. "You must come upstairs now. I am growing impatient standing next to that man while he insists on throwing soap suds everywhere."

When Tristan stifled a chuckle, Michel turned to face the young man before him. "Who is this?" he asked, while eyeing Tristan suspiciously.

"Tristan Dugray, sir." Tristan offered his hand to the impeccably dressed Frenchman.

Michel frowned in disdain. "Triscuit? You are named after a cracker?"

"It's Tristan," Lorelai asserted.

"How nice." Fluttering his hands, Michel turned to her. "Now if you are through socializing, you are needed upstairs before that imbecile ruins something," he said while brushing imaginary particles off his suit

.

"I'm on my way." Lorelai put her hand on Rory's shoulder. "There's been a slight problem. Well, actually it could turn into a major problem. Anyway, this snow has caused some of our main water pipes to freeze up, cutting off the water supply. One of the guests was in the middle of taking a shower when the water flow stopped. He is now standing in the hall, saying words not meant for young ears." She paused to take a breath. "He makes Christina Aguilera in the middle of a temper tantrum look nice."

"Oh, scary thought." Rory nodded knowingly.

"Complete with neon eye shadow," Lane added.

"And hair extensions."

"He's not really wearing that stuff..." Tristan's eyes widened. "Is he?"

Lorelai laughed. "Tristan, our town is not that strange. Eccentric at times, but not demented. We don't auction people off to be stoned, like in that one story....uh, I forget what it's called."

"_The Lottery_," Rory supplied.

"Yeah, that's it!"

Tristan smiled. "That's good to know."

Lorelai turned back to her daughter. "So, I'm going to have to stay here for a while and get all this settled. There could be a riot with blocks of ice everywhere."

"I would stay here, but Lane is supposed to be home soon." Rory gestured to her friend.

Lorelai thought for a second. "Mrs. Kim will go into cardiac arrest if Lane's not there on time. I could let you take the jeep, but that means I would have to walk home, and I'm not looking forward to turning into an icicle." She rubbed her forehead. "Bad memories of _Titanic_."

"I can take them." Three pairs of eyes turned to stare at Tristan.

"You can?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yeah. My car's in the parking lot." Tristan tilted his head to gaze at Rory as she slumped down in a chair. Rory glanced up, then quickly feigned interest in the carpet pattern.

Lorelai watched Tristan and Rory, a million thoughts playing havoc with her mind. She certainly didn't miss the adoring looks the guy had been sending her daughter since they had come inside. However, Rory seemed immune to them or she had at least been trying her best to ignore them. "You did say car, right? Nothing requiring helmets or you having to put your feet down when you stop?"

Tristan laughed inwardly at Lorelai's antics. _Like mother, like daughter. _"I seem to have left my moped at home. It tends to ruin my image around Chilton."

Seeing his mischievous grin, Lorelai moved over to him, making sure Rory was safely engaged in a conversation with Lane. "I think I'm going to change my initial opinion of you."

"Which was?"

Lorelai patted his arm lightly. "You don't want to know. But if for some reason Rory doesn't get home safely, your head mounted on the wall of my living room would go quite well with the decor. It would fit right in with the monkey lamp. They like company. The local taxidermist would have fun with you, since she doesn't get out much."

Tristan's eyes widened, but he regained his composure quickly. "I'll even bring the plaque engraved with my name."

Lorelai smiled at him. "I'm glad we see eye to eye." As she watched Rory and Lane slowly follow Tristan out to the parking lot, she turned to Sookie who had come up to catch the end of the conversation. "I like him."

"Who's that?" Sookie rubbed her eyes with her Band-Aid covered fingers.

"Tristan Dugray."

"A friend of Rory's?"

Lorelai winked at Sookie. "I have a feeling we're going to be seeing a lot more of him around here."

Miss Patty spoke up from her position on one of the couches. "I sure hope so."

"Two words, Miss Patty. Jail bait."

"Oh, believe me. I know how old he is, but there was never any harm in looking," Miss Patty responded innocently.

Lorelai whirled around when she felt someone tap her shoulder firmly. Michel was standing there, flecks of soap bubbles covering his hair, face, and suit.

She covered her mouth with a hand to disguise her laughter. "Why don't I go take care of that water situation now?"

*****

Rory and Lane stepped carefully over the ice covered pavement as Tristan led the way to his car. Lane pulled on Rory's coat so that they were walking a little bit behind him. "I think I need to take Lorelai up on her offer for the drool cup now," Lane whispered, admiring Tristan's tall, lean physique. Not to mention the eyes, lips, and hair.

When Lane's comments didn't elicit a response from Rory, she sighed deeply. "Rory, you have to agree with me. The guy could melt snow."

"Then maybe you should stick him on your driveway, and then you wouldn't have to shovel anymore," Rory quipped.

"You're hopeless."

"I know."

"Oh my god. Is that his car?" Lane actually squealed. Tristan was standing beside a black Porsche, holding the passenger door open.

"Ladies, your chariot awaits," Tristan said, his grin brimming with the usual confidence. Lane gave him a shy smile before crawling into the back seat. When Rory hesitated, Tristan stepped away from her, holding his hands up. "Hey, if you wanna walk..."

"No," Rory shot back, breaking into a laugh. She slid into the front seat, and Tristan shut the door behind her. Rory ran her hand over the smooth leather of the seat, taking in the interior of the car. It was remarkably neat. She had expected to find Tristan's belongings laying around or at least a tube of lipstick from one of his many conquests. Just one more piece to add to the already seemingly unsolvable puzzle that was Tristan Dugray.

Once Tristan had pulled out of the parking lot, Lane began to chatter on about Stars Hollow. What she was saying was interesting, but Tristan found it hard to concentrate on anything but the girl beside of him. Rory had been extremely quiet since they had left the inn, and now she seemed to be completely focused on the scene through the window. Glancing down, he noticed that Rory's left arm was resting on the console. Tristan was tempted to move his own arm down to rest lightly against hers. He just craved any contact with her. Shaking his head, he berated himself for being so foolish.

After they had dropped Lane off, Rory remained silent except to give Tristan directions to her house. Wearily, Rory watched the windshield wipers move back and forth, scraping off the light snow that had once again begun to fall. When Tristan cleared his throat, Rory jerked her eyes over to his figure. His right hand was gripping the steering wheel, while the other arm was propped up on the door. His jaw was clenched lightly as he focused on maneuvering the car over the slick roads. Rory had the sudden urge to reach out and touch that chiseled jaw. Quickly clasping her hands together in her lap, she was thankful when he pulled up to her house.

"Well, here we go." Tristan put the car into park, and turned to smile at her.

"Thank you for driving me home. Lane too."

"No problem."

Rory had her hand on the door handle when something stopped her. "Tristan, do you want to come inside for a little while?" _Why did I just ask him that? Bad move, Rory._ "I mean, it's cold out here, and you should probably get warm."

To say Tristan was surprised at her offer was an understatement. "Inviting me in already? I guess I haven't lost my charm."

Rory rolled her eyes at him, playfully. "Don't push it. I know Miss Patty would just love to have you over."

"I'll be quiet," Tristan replied quickly.

"As a mouse?"

"Well, I don't know about that."

"Did you know she once danced in a cage?"

"Okay, I get the point," Tristan surrendered.

They began walking up to Rory's house, side by side. "Be careful, it's slick," Tristan warned. Rory was startled when she felt him place his hand on the small of her back, and he kept it there until they reached the door. "We wouldn't want you to fall again." Tristan winked at her, stepping back so she could turn the key in the lock.

Rory felt the heat spread up to her cheeks once again, turning her head so Tristan wouldn't see her blush. She had never thought Tristan was the protective type, but here he was, watching over her. She hated to admit it, but it felt nice. Rory pushed the door open, removing her coat as she walked into the hall. "I can make some hot chocolate..."

"That would be great. Do you want some help?"

"No, I can get it." After pointing him to the living room, she hurried into the kitchen, grateful to be out from under his piercing gaze. Rory busied herself by filling a saucepan with milk then putting it on the stove to heat. She opened a canister of cocoa mix and prepared to add it to the steaming liquid.

"You're nice to look at."

Rory whirled around, nearly dropping the entire canister of cocoa. Tristan was leaning against the entrance to the kitchen, hands casually in the pockets of his khakis. He had taken off his coat, revealing a navy sweater that accentuated the blue in his eyes. "Very nice," Tristan said, those blue eyes never leaving Rory's. The mischievous sparkle was back, and it was intoxicating. Everything else seemed to fade away as she lost herself in the true essence of Tristan. For almost the first time in her life, Rory was speechless.

"The milk is boiling over."

Rory blinked. "Oh!" She swiftly lifted the saucepan off the stove. Taking a deep breath, she gripped the handle of the oven, trying to steady herself. When she glanced up at the entry way, Tristan was no longer standing there. Why, in that one moment, had he affected her so much? Rory chuckled, reminding herself it was just Tristan. Her imagination had been working overtime lately. Pushing her thoughts aside, Rory filled two mugs with hot chocolate, added a few marshmallows, and carried them into the living room. Tristan was sitting on one end of the couch, his legs stretched out in front of him. She handed him a mug and then sat down on the opposite end.

"Thanks." Tristan took a sip, shifting uneasily when an uncomfortable silence filled the room. It was completely unlike Rory to be this quiet, and he wished that he could just know what she was thinking. He hadn't missed the fact that Rory had sat down as far away from him as she possibly could. If she moved over anymore, she would be sitting on the arm of the couch. "So, are you ready for the big project Mr. Medina has planned for next week?"

Rory looked up, an eager expression on her face. "Yeah. I'm interested in seeing what he is going to have us do. He seemed really excited about it."

Tristan nodded in agreement. "Me too. I wonder if this is going to be a partner or solo thing." No sooner had the words left his mouth, when Rory's features marred into frown. "What's wrong?"

Rory sighed, exasperated. "There's always a chance I'll get paired up with Paris. Mr. Medina has a knack for making people who don't get along work together. I believe her new goal, besides having the highest grade point average in the history of Chilton, is to make my life miserable. Not that she didn't try before, but now she has no intentions of holding back."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not her favorite person now either. When Paris walked by me at lunch yesterday, she gave me the infamous death glare. I'm surprised it didn't burn the Chilton seal off my uniform. To make it even worse, she was carrying a salad, and I just knew it was going to end up all over me."

Rory couldn't contain her laughter. "I'm just picturing you covered in lettuce and tomatoes. Tristan Dugray, the human salad bar. That is the picture for the yearbook cover."

"I'm sorry, Rory," Tristan said suddenly.

Rory's brow furrowed. "Sorry? For what?"

Tristan ran a hand through his hair and massaged the tight muscles at the base of his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension. "Sorry for telling Paris that you were the one who suggested we should go out. I know that before I said it was no big deal, but I should have realized Paris would be upset. I just never thought she liked me as much as she did."

"It's not your fault," Rory told him reassuringly. "Besides, it's better that you were honest about it."

Tristan swallowed hard and decided to take the chance. "The only thing I'm sure about is that I couldn't keep dating Paris when I have these strong feelings for someone else." He studied Rory carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Rory hastily looked down at her mug. She swirled the hot chocolate around, watching as the marshmallows melted into a gooey mess. _Strong feelings? I thought he just liked someone else. And why do I even care? _"Well..."

__

Don't say it, Rory. Please, don't say it.

"... have you tried talking to Summer?" For some reason, the name tasted bitter on Rory's tongue.

__

Damn. The hot chocolate Tristan had been drinking seemed to sour in his stomach. "No," he managed to choke out.

"Well, Summer's a lucky girl to have you care for her so much," Rory replied with forced cheer.

__

There's your answer, Dugray. Rory will never like you. Tristan tightened his hands around the mug.

"So..." Rory was interrupted when Tristan stood up abruptly. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I probably should be leaving." Tristan handed Rory his mug, shrugging on his coat. As he walked toward the door, he glanced at her one last time. She was still sitting at the same spot on the couch, staring at him in confusion. "See you, Rory."

"Goodbye, Tristan," she murmured softly. She leaned her head back against the couch when she heard the door shut quietly behind him. Rory had the feeling that something had just gone very wrong with their conversation. But what? Groaning, she rubbed her throbbing temples. She was surprised when she heard the door open again. "Did you forget something?" she called out.

"Rory, I think we have a really big problem here."

Rory glanced up and saw Tristan standing in the hall, his coat and hair covered with snow. "I guess it's still snowing, huh?"

Tristan shook his head. "We're not talking flurries. It's coming down so hard, I can't even see my car on the street."

"Well, things can't get much worse than this, can they?" Rory ran a hand through her hair, suddenly feeling exhausted.

Before Tristan could reply, they were plunged into darkness. 

"You just got your answer."

__

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my fan fiction! I hope you enjoy reading this new part. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.

"Oh no." Rory stood up, immediately striking her knee on the corner of the coffee table. She stumbled over to the wall, her scrambling fingers searching for the cool metal of the light switch. Her desperate hunt was stilled when her hands came in contact with a warm, firm body.

"Any excuse to put your hands on me, right Rory?"

She glanced up, barely able to make out Tristan's features. Yet, she knew that self-confident smirk had taken hold of his mouth. "Tristan, I'm not in the mood for this right now."

"Hey, whenever you are in the mood, I'm ready."

"You could help me find the light switch, you know." Rory slid her hands along the edge of the wall, finally locating it. She frantically flipped the switch up and down to no avail. Panic swam through her, threatening to take her strength with it. "What happened?" she asked meekly, although she already knew the answer.

"Well, Ms. Genius, the power appears to have gone out." Tristan didn't have to see her face to know that her glare could burn a hole right through his Abercrombie and Fitch sweater. "I guess the wind knocked down a line somewhere," he said, softening his tone. He peered out the window, unable to see much of anything through the snow. "From what I can tell, it looks like the whole street's out."

Rory tugged at her hair, thoughts flying through her mind at warp speed. "We need candles, flashlights..." She squeezed the side of her watch, illuminating its face. "It's getting late too. Before long it'll be completely dark outside." When Tristan moved over to the door and turned the knob, Rory felt the panic form a lump in her already tight throat. "Where are you going? You can't drive in this."

Tristan's heart swelled at the concern in her eyes. "I was just going to get the flashlight out of my car. I always keep one in the glove compartment." He caressed Rory's pale cheek with the back of his hand. Unknowingly, she leaned into the comfort of his touch. "I won't leave you, Rory."

Nodding, she watched him jog into the blowing snow. Rory was disturbed by her inability to stay in control, when she usually was so capable of taking care of everything. She closed her eyes tightly, breathing in deeply to calm her frazzled nerves. When the door flew open again, she shivered from the freezing air that blew into the hallway, rubbing the newly formed goose bumps on her arms. Tristan, now in possession of the flashlight, shined it on Rory where she was standing, arms wrapped tightly around her torso. "Maybe we should start a fire. It's definitely not going to get warm in here anytime soon without one."

A few minutes later, a tiny fire was roaring in the hearth, slowly filling the living room with warmth. They had both moved to sit on the floor so as to quickly benefit from the flickering flames. Tristan rubbed his hands together, watching Rory from the corner of his eye. The color had returned to her cheeks, her eyes were closed, and a pleasant smile was playing across her lips. "Care to let me in on what has put that peaceful expression on your face?"

She smiled, her eyes remaining closed. "I'm visualizing myself on a beach in the Bahamas. The water is such a crystal blue that you can see straight to the bottom. The waves are hitting the beach, showering me with their cool spray. The breeze is blowing the palm fronds, and the warm sun is beaming down on me as I lie in the sand."

Her voice was soothing to Tristan's ears. The melodic tone washed around him, filling his senses. He could listen to her talk forever about anything that fascinated her. Aching to get some sort of reaction, he replied, "Are you wearing a bikini? Because if you are, I am so there."

Rory opened one eye, gazing at him with a fiery expression. "Pig. I had the beginning of a great fantasy going on."

"So, now I'm a pig?"

Rory eyed him carefully. "Well, you would probably hate the dirt and rolling in the mud part."

"No thanks. I would rather be on the beach instead of in a mud hole, eating who knows what." 

Tristan shuddered at the thought. "Speaking of beaches, why daydream about a fantasy when you could have the real thing right here?"

She jerked her head in his direction, trying to gauge what he meant. It was impossible to tell, because his face was bathed in shadows from the glowing firelight. Only his eyes were trained on her, and they were an even more intense cobalt blue than usual. There was something flickering in their depths, but what, Rory was not sure. "Yeah, I'll just get a bucket of sand and sprinkle it on the floor," she retorted. She stared at the fire, listening to the wind blow through the trees outside. "Now I know why I've never been fond of winter."

"What's your favorite season, Rory?" Tristan asked.

"Oh, definitely spring," she answered without hesitation. "It's such a beautiful time of the year. Everything's new - the flowers, butterflies, baby birds learning how to fly. There's always something wonderful to discover."

"You know, that choice fits you, since I seem to learn something new about you every day. From now on when I think of spring, I'll just have to associate it with you," Tristan said, his voice tinged with laughter.

Rory raised her eyebrows. "I don't know whether to be flattered or frightened."

"Oh, be afraid. Be very afraid." He reached over, tickling her side gently. She flinched away from him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You're ticklish, aren't you?"

"Yes." Seeing the evil gleam in his eyes, Rory corrected herself hastily. "No."

"Well, I think we're going to have to help you make up your mind about that." He lunged at her, tickling both of her sides. Tristan didn't let up as she giggled and swatted at him playfully. When she shifted quickly, Tristan lost his balance, causing Rory to fall back on the floor. He braced himself above her with one arm, the other cradling her head.

Rory looked up at him, unable to move. The firelight was playing with his eyes, making them seem even more intriguing. Realizing the awkward position they were in, she finally scooted out from under him. "I need to find the candles, so the flashlight batteries won't run out. I'll look for them in the kitchen if you can look for the others in here. They should be in one of the side tables." She left the room, leaving Tristan staring after her.

__

Stupid, Tristan reprimanded himself . He knew not to push her, but it was becoming increasingly harder for him to be in the same room with Rory and not be able to kiss her. He wasn't used to questioning his actions around girls. They had always been at his beck and call whenever he wanted them. He didn't have to tell himself that things were completely different now, and those girls no longer mattered. Rory was the only one he could see, and he would wait for her, even though he had a feeling he was fighting a losing battle. Rubbing his neck, he started pulling open drawers looking for the candles. He rummaged through papers and cards, finding two long candles wrapped in newspaper. Laying them on the coffee table, Tristan sat back down on the couch, rubbing his tired eyes.

He shone the flashlight beam around the room, landing on things obviously special to Rory and Lorelai. Framed pictures scattered the walls and tables. Some were single pictures, others were professionally taken photographs of the two women. In each one, genuine smiles lit up their faces, and their eyes were dancing with pure happiness. Tristan's thoughts drifted to his own cold home, hesitant to even refer to it in the possessive form. He often felt like a prisoner behind the iron gates. Inside, the walls of the Dugray mansion didn't hold light-hearted photographs of its inhabitants or cherished mementos. Instead, the large foyer housed portraits of the entire generation of Dugrays, their faces permanently frozen into frowns. When Tristan had been a young child, he had likened those portraits to the ones with roving eyes often found in haunted houses. He had now outgrown that fear, but those pictures still served to remind him of the childhood he had lost.

"The phone lines are dead too."

Rory's worried voice brought Tristan out of his thoughts. "You didn't really expect them to work, did you?"

"No. I was just trying to reach my mom. I hope everything's okay."

Tristan crossed the floor quickly, guiding Rory's shaking body over to the couch. "She's safe at the inn, and she has a lot of people there with her." Rory sighed deeply, her body relaxing against him. "And I'm here with you. Everything will be okay."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He ran a hand through her hair, watching as she snuggled into the couch, her eyes closed. "You're so lucky, Rory, to have so many people who care about you. I have a feeling your mom and this whole town would do anything for you."

"Mmm..."

He continued, not knowing how much his soft, deep voice was calming her. "I wish I meant as much to my parents as you do to your mother." Tristan snapped his mouth closed, almost biting his tongue at the sudden slip.

Rory opened her eyes at that remark. "What do you mean, Tristan? You know your parents care about you. They would do anything in the world for you."

"Give me anything in the world is more like it. But what's money without love? Regardless of what you might think Rory, money really doesn't mean anything to me."

"Of course they love you."

Tristan snorted. "Well, then they sure have a strange way of showing it. How many birthday parties have you had Rory?"

"Well... one every year."

"Exactly. I've had none." The bitterness was obvious in his voice.

Rory gazed at him, sadness in her eyes. "Tristan..."

He looked away, his pride once again rearing its ugly head. "Between my father's business meetings and my mother's daily shopping sprees, they don't have time for me. The most my father offers is a pat on the back for a 'job well done,' and that is only when my name is mentioned in some publication for accomplishments at Chilton. Anything to further the family name. I doubt if they even know where I am right now or if they even care."

Rory sat in silence, knowing how upset he was, and she also knew it wasn't the best time to discuss his family situation when he was obviously hurting so much. She searched desperately for a way to get his mind off all the pain. Her eyes latched onto the silver band he wore on the middle finger of his left hand. Rory reached over and ran her finger over the smooth metal. "Was this a gift?"

When Tristan saw what had caught her attention, he squeezed his eyes shut briefly. "It was my great grandfather's. My grandmother gave it to me." A fresh wave of grief washed over Tristan. Yes, his grandmother had died six years ago, but the pain he felt was still as strong as ever. He had never been able to talk to anyone about her, and he kept everything hidden inside, never to let anyone see.

"Oh. Do you get to see her often?" Rory asked, thinking about their own Friday night dinners with her grandmother.

"She passed away when I was ten years old."

"Tristan, I'm so sorry."

He was surprised to feel Rory's tiny hand curl tightly around his own. Gazing at her, he saw the concern radiating from her eyes, and he gathered strength from it. "My grandmother had been living with us for several years before she died. I would wake up to the sound of my parents arguing in the middle of the night and run to her room where she would hold me until I fell asleep. She would take care of me when no one else would." Tristan sighed, his chest feeling as if it weighed a ton. "I can still remember the perfume she wore... she always smelled like lilacs." When Rory remained silent, he glanced over at her again. "You must think I'm such a baby."

"I could never think that. I can tell how much she meant to you."

"My grandmother was the only one who understood how I felt...the only one who ever tried to."

Rory squeezed his hand, clasping her fingers through his. "I understand you now."

"I know." Tristan gazed at her, wondering how she could possibly fail to see that he had feelings for her. He had never felt closer to anyone than he did to Rory at that moment.

"You have those memories of your grandmother, Tristan, and those are more precious than anything. Hold on to them."

"How did you get so wise?" he inquired, chuckling.

"Well, when you live with a coffee addicted mother, you learn fast," Rory said, her laughter melding with his.

"Thank you, Rory." Tristan turned to face her, suddenly serious.

"For what?"

"For listening to me. I've never told anyone else about my grandmother."

She smiled at him sincerely. "Well, then I should thank you for sharing this part of yourself with me."

Tristan brushed a silky strand of hair away from her face. "I'm glad I took the time to get to know you, Rory Gilmore. To think I almost missed knowing what a truly amazing person you are..." Tristan shook his head, annoyed at how immaturely he had acted toward her only just several months ago. "I was a jerk."

"Yes, you were," Rory admitted, trying to keep a grin from spreading across her face.

"You didn't have to agree with me about that."

"Tell me this. When you have a daughter, are you going to name her Mary? You seem to like that name a lot."

"Nah. That name is reserved for beautiful girls who get under my skin."

Laughing nervously, Rory started to stand up, but stopped when she saw the way Tristan was looking at her. Tristan took both of her hands in his, tugging on them so she was once again sitting on the couch. He ran his fingers over the apple of her creamy cheek, stopping when he felt Rory stiffen. "There was a stray eyelash," he explained quietly.

"Oh..." Rory trailed off, her throat dry.

Tristan groaned inwardly. _What is wrong with me? It's not like I've never been close to a girl before. But this is Rory._ In the palm of her hand, she held the power to make his knees weak. After what happened at the party, he didn't want to risk messing things up again.

Rory's nerves were on end as she saw Tristan's eyes move from her own, to linger tantalizingly over her lips, and then back again. As she stared deeply into Tristan's eyes, that was when she saw _it._ There was a heat burning in their blue depths, and she bit her lip when she realized that she _had_ seen it before...almost as if he were longing for something. _For me?_ Rory shook her head imperceptibly at how utterly ridiculous that notion was. From their conversation earlier, it was obvious he wasn't over Summer. _Plus, Tristan and I are just friends, right?_ The chills playing hopscotch on her spine initiated by his penetrating gaze did nothing to justify her question. Nothing made sense anymore. "Tristan, I think..."

"Shhh...," he whispered huskily, placing his finger lightly on her mouth. He then replaced the finger with his thumb, grazing it over her bottom lip. "Rory..."

Her name had never sounded so...so sensual to her before. It rolled effortlessly off his tongue, each syllable accentuated smoothly. Rory's hands tingled at the thought of the way Tristan was making her feel. It was terrifying and euphoric all at the same time. When Tristan's face moved closer to hers, Rory tilted her head instinctively in anticipation of feeling his lips on hers.

The loud pounding that abruptly sounded from the door, resulted in them moving quickly away form each other. Rory sat stunned, still being held captive under Tristan's gaze. After a moment, he looked away, falling back against the couch. Finally, the knocking broke through the cobwebs that had formed in Rory's head. "Who..." Without finishing her sentence, she stood up, reaching out a hand to the side table to steady her shaking legs.

Rory grabbed the flashlight from the table and headed for the door. She couldn't help but acknowledge the fact that Tristan would have kissed her if they hadn't been interrupted. Her stomach flip-flopped at the strange knowledge that she had wanted him to. She yanked on the door, struggling to hold it open against the wind threatening to slam it shut. Babette waddled in, stomping clumps of snow off her boots.

"Babette, it's not safe to be out in this weather." Rory said, concerned. It was a miracle the short woman hadn't been buried in a snowdrift.

"Hey, sugar. The snow is as easy as pie to handle when you have these." Babette waved the snow shoes in her hand. "I saw that your momma wasn't home, so I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Thank you." Rory hugged her, touched at the woman's motherly ways. "I think we're okay."

"We're? Who else is here with you, sugar?"

"I am." The voice spoke up seemingly out of nowhere.

Rory turned to see Tristan in the entrance to the hallway, in his typical stance of leaning against the wall. "Babette, this is Tristan."

Babette admired the young man before her. "Oh, look at those broad, strong shoulders. Yes, he can definitely take care of our girl." She put her hand on Rory's arm. "I'm sure you'll be fine now, but you're welcome to come over to our house anytime. Maury and I are having a sing along around the fire." After Rory reassured her that they would consider her offer, Babette strapped her snowshoes to her boots, and set out across the snow. As she walked toward her house, she giggled in amusement at the looks she had seen thrown between Rory and her young male friend. _Oh yes. There was definitely something going on there. _Miss Patty was never wrong when it came to gossip.

After Rory closed the door, she leaned back against the cold wood, her hands sweaty. Tristan still stood in the hallway, his sleepy bedroom eyes boring into hers. She stared back, matching his seemingly never-ending gaze. It was almost as if it were a challenge to see who would lose by looking away first. Tristan won when Rory jerked her eyes down to her feet.

"Your neighbor has terrible timing."

"I wouldn't say that," Rory responded indignantly.

"I would." A small smirk curled at Tristan's lips.

When Rory saw his expression, she heaved a sigh. "You're impossible." She brushed past him to enter the living room.

Tristan immediately followed her, taking a seat on the upholstered chair beside the couch. "Impossible to what? For you to stop thinking about me?"

Rory sank down on the couch, irritated. "Yes...no!" He knew exactly which buttons to push to get her going. She grabbed a blanket from the stack on the table and covered up with it in a huff.

"You seem to have trouble making up your mind when I'm around. That's not like you at all." Tristan grinned at her seductively. "Do I cause you to lose your train of thought, Rory?" He jumped when he felt a pillow bop him in the head. He turned to Rory, a shocked expression on his face. She was glaring at him, arms crossed in front of her. One look at his wide eyes, and her mouth began to curve up in a smile, a giggle bubbling in her throat. A second later, she was clutching her stomach as laughter wracked her body.

Tristan threw the pillow back at her, watching as she caught it easily. "That was supposed to hit you," he pouted. Rory tossed the pillow into the air triumphantly, and Tristan had to laugh at that. She laid back against the couch, covering a yawn with her hand.

"Hey."

"Hey back," Rory answered, her voice heavy with sleep.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep?" Tristan checked his watch. "It's getting late."

"Sleep is good."

"I'll just stay over here in this chair."

"Uh huh..."

Tristan studied Rory in the dim candlelight. She had curled up into a ball to rest her head on one of the couch pillows. They had both decided to sleep in the living room instead of the bedrooms. That way they would have the heat from the fire to keep them warm. He walked over to the couch, looking down on her relaxed figure. "Rory?" The steady rise and fall of her chest told him that she was indeed already asleep. He tucked the blanket closer around her body, then moved back to his own 'bed' for the night. The chair was not the most comfortable place for a person to sleep, but he would have to make do. Tristan glanced back over at Rory again, admiring the way the flames from the fire shined in her hair. He knew something had changed between them tonight, and that Rory was starting to see him in a different light. When he had almost kissed her earlier, for a split second she had looked at him the way he had hoped she would someday...almost tenderly. Yes, things were definitely changing. As Tristan's mind succumbed to sleep, he had a feeling that after tonight, things would never be the same again.

*****

Rory awoke to the sound of the wind howling through the eaves of the house, rattling the tree branches against the window. _Sounds like a blizzard out there. _The fire in the hearth had died to just a few glowing embers, and as a result the temperature in the room had dropped significantly. The candles on the coffee table had reduced in size considerably, puddles of hardened wax at their bases. Rory sat up groggily, squinting at her watch in the faint light. _2:00 in the morning. _She glanced over at Tristan, who was sound asleep in the chair. Rory untangled the blanket from her legs and quietly went to place another log on the fire, sending the flames dancing once again with the strike of a match. She sighed at the immediate warmth, hoping the heat would spread out through the room soon. She tiptoed over to Tristan, intending to cover him up with one of the blankets.

Rory stopped in her tracks when her breath caught in her throat. _God, he's beautiful._ His head was resting against the back of the chair, and one arm was carelessly thrown over the side, while the other laid across his chest. The candlelight made his lightly sun-kissed skin glow. Her eyes trailed down from his tousled hair, to the thick eyelashes that curled against his face. Rory ran her fingers gently through Tristan's blond locks, marveling at their feathery softness. She took a step back hastily when he stirred. Rory started to turn away, but not before her eyes came to rest on his lips, slightly parted in sleep. She felt herself inexplicably being drawn to him, and there was an almost ethereal feel in the air. Something had changed in her tonight, and all she knew was that just a simple look or touch from Tristan sent shock waves through her system. Bending her head close to his, she had to know now if this was real...if it was true. Slowly, Rory closed her eyes, and pressed her lips ever so tenderly to his.

__

To Be Continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: As always, thank you to everyone who has reviewed this fan fiction. It is much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this next part.

Rory's lips lingered on Tristan's for only an instant, but in that instant she felt something that had begun burning in her stomach, work its way up into her chest to seize a tightly clenched fist on her emotions. As a current of electricity traveled from her lips all the way down to her toes, she had a feeling that the fist belonged to Tristan. Rory quickly took a step backwards, ramming the back of her leg into the coffee table. Stumbling, she made her way over to the couch and buried her face into a pillow. She failed to see the slow, satisfied smile that spread over Tristan's lips. When Rory pulled back from the soft, comforting cotton of the pillow, she finally allowed her eyes to flit over in his direction. The knowing smile was, of course, gone, and he appeared to be sleeping peacefully. She sighed with relief, knowing that Tristan had not been awake to witness her temporary moment of... moment of what? Rory had never known that it was possible to feel as many emotions as she was right then. By the way her stomach was still churning fitfully, everything was far from being temporary. 

She stood up from the couch, but not before shoving her fist into the pillow, leaving a slight dent in its center. How dare he sleep when she was going through all this inner turmoil? She glared at him, knowing that if he were awake he would surely have a witty remark to match each one of hers. He would also have something to say about you kissing him. Rory grabbed her blanket, wrapping it tightly around her, even though she knew that she would probably be plenty warm enough without one. She picked up the flashlight from the table and carried it over to one of the windows, sitting herself down on the carpet. She had to tame the thoughts chaotically whirling through her mind, and she couldn't do it when faced with the very person who had a habit of turning her world upside down.

Rory clicked on the flashlight, aiming it into the inky blackness of the night. All she was able to see was the light reflected back at her through the glass. She turned it off, finally gazing blankly into the gaping black hole of darkness. In the midst of the havoc in her mind, one thing stood out as clearly as the sun on a spring day. Something had definitely changed tonight. There had always been some kind of a connection flowing between herself and Tristan, and when he had opened up to her about his grandmother, things had begun to fall into place. He had trusted her enough to let her into one of the most valuable places of his heart, and that meant more to Rory than she would have ever thought possible. It had made her ache to see him in such pain, and she knew now that she never wanted anything to hurt him again. The next realization hit her like a bolt of lightening. I care about Tristan. The feeling was familiar, like it had always been there, but to actually think the words was almost surreal. This was immediately followed by a wave of pleasure that traveled down Rory's spine. She remembered how she had always had a hard time keeping a small smile off her face whenever she was around him, even when she had first started classes at Chilton.

Rory felt a twisting sensation in her gut, and at that moment knew she was also scared. Scared of not knowing. She had always been one who liked to have things planned out, hence the continuous list making. No list would work for this situation. A twinge of uncertainty spread through her chest when she realized that she had no way of knowing how Tristan felt. The name that had hung between them earlier that night, unwillingly rose again to the surface. Summer. For all she knew, he still liked her. Yet, Rory was the one who had brought up the girl's name, not Tristan. In fact, Tristan had not spoken of Summer...period. What did everything mean? Rory dropped her head in her hands, feeling like she would never have the answer to that question. Tristan was like an enigma, making her experience every possible thing at once; confusion being mainly prevalent. As Rory's heavy eyelids surrendered to sleep, she couldn't help but be aware of the fact that she needed him.

*****

The pale early morning light fell on Tristan's silent form as he stood over Rory, watching her sleep. She was laying, curled up in the fetal position, on the carpet beneath the window. He had been standing there long enough to know that the snow had long ago ceased to fall and to hear the roar of the snow plows as they cleared the roads. Tristan was in no hurry to get in his car and leave though, because everything he could ever hope for or want was right in front of his eyes.

Gently, Tristan shook Rory's shoulder so he would once again be treated to seeing those beautiful blue orbs tucked away behind her closed eyelids. She stirred, murmuring something that sounded vaguely like his name. He leaned closer, hoping she would say it again, but that was when her eyes flew open. Rory stood up sluggishly, disoriented. Her insides melted when he flashed her that trademark grin. "Morning, sleepy head. How did you end up on the floor, anyway?"

Rory rubbed the sleep from her eyes, thinking frantically of something to say. The events of the night before flooded over her, finally registering in her fatigued mind. "I couldn't sleep...so I...I..."

"So you thought you would sleep on the hard, cold floor?"

"I guess."

Tristan fought the urge to tell her he knew exactly why she couldn't sleep. When he had felt her soft, willing lips on his last night, it was all he could do to prevent himself from taking her into his arms and kissing her back. However, he knew that this was something Rory had to work through on her own. So, he had pretended to be asleep. Patience was a virtue, and he had to heed that old adage, no matter how difficult it would be. "It stopped snowing."

Rory simply nodded her head, apparently lost in a complicated maze of thoughts. 

"The plows cleared the road."

More nodding.

"I could probably make it home now." Tristan took a few steps back from her, having no intentions of going home quite yet.

"How do you know when you've found the right person for you?" Rory cursed herself silently, when she realized that she had asked the question that had been plaguing her all night out loud. Her stomach felt like it was full of rocks as she waited nervously for his reaction.

Tristan's eyes widened at her sudden inquiry, and he had to remind himself to take things slow. The kiss had obviously gotten the wheels clicking and whirring in her mind. Everything was in Rory's hands now, but that didn't mean he couldn't give her a few little pushes along the way. "Well, when you kiss that person, you'll know."

"What?" Rory turned to face him, startled. The kiss. He can't know I kissed him, can he? She searched his eyes for something, anything to clue her into what he was thinking.

Tristan shrugged nonchalantly. "I remember when my grandmother told me how she knew my grandfather was the one. She said that when he kissed her, her hands tingled."

"Oh. Have you felt that way before?" _Way to be obvious, Rory._

"Yeah, I have."

"I...I guess you've had that feeling with a lot of girls, right?" 

"Just once." Tristan stepped closer to Rory and reveled in the fact that she didn't even attempt to move away. He languidly trailed his finger across her cheek and down her throat, to rest at her collarbone. He could feel her trembling beneath his touch. "Does someone make your hands tingle, Rory?" 

Yes. You. Rory wanted to tell him so badly, but her mouth couldn't manage to form the words. Tristan seemed to have the ability to render her speechless. His piercing eyes explored hers intently, making her weak. "Tristan...," she managed to croak.

The opening and closing of the door, once again, caused Rory to jerk away from him. "Rory?" Lorelai's voice called out from the hall.

"A Do Not Disturb sign would be a good addition to your front door," Tristan joked halfheartedly.

"It's my mom." Pushing everything else aside, Rory jogged to the hallway and flung her arms around Lorelai. Pulling back, Rory took a closer look at her mother's haggard appearance. "Bad night, huh?"

Lorelai ran a hand through her hair, trying to smooth out the tangles. "You try spending the night with Sookie, Michel, and the soap suds monster. All in the same room, I might add. I'm more concerned about you though, Rory. You look all flushed. You could give Jackson's prize tomatoes a run for their money in the color department."

"I'm okay. Tristan was with me the whole time." Rory gestured to where he stood a few feet behind them.

Lorelai eyed Tristan. "I hope he was a perfect gentleman."

Tristan met her gaze, unfazed. "I'm afraid so."

"Darn. I mean, not darn because you were a good boy, but darn because I was having fun imagining you stuffed and hanging on my wall. With little deer antlers and glassy eyes." Lorelai crooked her fingers on each side of her head to symbolize antlers.

"Well, Rory's an incredible girl, so I'm sure you'll have enough guys around here to keep the taxidermist in business." _But not if I have anything to do with it_. Tristan blinked in surprise when Lorelai wrapped him up into a hug.

"Thank you for taking care of her," Lorelai said in a hushed voice before releasing him.

"No problem. It was a pleasure, believe me." Tristan threw one last glance at Rory, where she was standing, wringing her hands in front of her. "I should probably be heading home." He wished that Rory would say something to stop him, but when she remained silent, he reluctantly turned to leave.

"Tristan, wait." 

Her small, timid plea made his heart skip a beat. "Yeah?"

"You never told me what your favorite season is. You know...when we were talking about it last night. I told you mine, but you never said yours." 

Thinking back on their conversation from the night before, Tristan almost laughed at the perfect opportunity she had just given him. Here was the chance to make her see exactly what and who he wanted. Rory had opened the door, and he intended to stroll right through it. She watched as he walked stealthily towards her, his gaze never wavering from hers.

"Well, you see Rory...I've never liked summer that much." Tristan leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "But to me, spring...spring is irresistible." He moved away from her slowly, letting his lips graze her cheek.

Rory stood there, caught under his smoldering stare, which made his eyes seem like burning blue coals of sizzling fire. It was enough to have her knees shaking like Jell-O.

Tristan casually lifted a hand in farewell. "See you in class, Rory."

Lorelai's eyes moved back and forth between Tristan's retreating back and her daughter's dazed expression. Having heard Tristan's words, Lorelai's brow furrowed in confusion. "Okay. First we had Narcolepsy Boy. Now we have Confusing Boy Who Talks in Code. Where is the factory that is producing these male specimens, because I think they need to be inspected." When Rory didn't respond, Lorelai looked over at her, noticing that her daughter's eyes had never strayed from Tristan's figure as he walked down the path and got in his car. She was still watching as the black glimmer of the Porsche disappeared down the road. "Rory do you know what he was talking about?" 

Lorelai paused for a moment. "No answer from the peanut gallery. Don't make me find him and throw myself in front of his car until he tells me. Come on, Rory. You know, don't you?" she whined.

Rory's eyebrows raised as her mind furtively sorted through Tristan's words from last night. 

*****

__

"What's your favorite season, Rory?" Tristan asked.

"Oh, definitely spring," she answered without hesitation. "It's such a beautiful time of the year. Everything's new - the flowers, butterflies, baby birds learning how to fly. There's always something wonderful to discover." 

"You know, that choice fits you, since I seem to learn something new about you every day. From now on when I think of spring, I'll just have to associate it with you," Tristan said, his voice tinged with laughter.

*****

A smile of complete understanding spread across Rory's face, making her eyes sparkle. The answer she had been searching for was finally in her grasp. "Yes, I do." The statement was simple, but it brought all of the emotions that had been swelling within her to a roaring crescendo. Tristan's warm, deep voice still echoed around her as if it were a reminder that everything was, indeed, real.

"Mom, remember how you told me amazing things always happen to you when snow falls?"

A dreamy expression overtook Lorelai's features. "Yeah. My first kiss, your first steps..." 

"I think it runs in the family." 

*****

Rory dodged the students in the crowded Chilton hallway as she headed towards her locker. She gripped the straps of her book bag tightly in her hands as her eyes searched for the familiar figure she had come to know so well. He was nowhere to be found in the sea of students anxious to get home on that Monday afternoon. She and Tristan had barely had time to even utter a greeting to each other, for their teachers had kept the classes busy with a colossal amount of work. Rory had tried to approach Tristan after Mr. Medina's class, but several of his friends had quickly surrounded him, making it difficult.

When Rory reached her locker, she jerked the metal handle up and down, struggling with the obstinate door. The thing always jammed at the most inopportune times. Finally, it slammed open, clanging with the locker beside of hers. A folded up piece of notebook paper fell out of the open space, landing at her saddle shoe-clad feet. Rory picked up the paper, smoothing out the creases with her hand. The scrawled words sent her pulse throbbing in her temples.

__

Rory, meet me in the center of the courtyard at 3:00. Tristan 

Rory took a deep breath, feeling the crimson creep up her neck and into her cheeks. Checking her watch, she realized that she only had a few minutes before she was supposed to meet Tristan. She grabbed the books she would need to take home for the night, almost dropping the heaviest one on her toe in her fumbling nervousness. She hurried down the hall and pushed open the door to the courtyard, which was completely deserted that time of day. The crisp air immediately hit her in the face, making her eyes water. She stepped carefully over the cobblestone path that had been cleared of snow that morning. The temperature had warmed up just enough to send little puddles of crystal clear water spreading out from under the massive piles of snow. Rory kept walking straight, heading toward the tall hedges that signified the center of the courtyard and the opulent fountain hidden there. She stepped around the hedges, eyes resting on the hand carved sculpture. No water flowed from the fountain now, but in the spring and fall, liquid cascaded from the top, shimmering like brand new pearls. The sun penetrated the oppressive clouds, bathing the courtyard in light and landing on the lone figure who stood with his arm braced on the top tier of the marble fountain.

Tristan was facing away from her so Rory was able to drink in his features unseen. The rays of sun almost made him seem to glow with an unearthly light. He was still wearing his Chilton blazer to protect against the chill, but his tie was undone to loop loosely around his neck. He was staring into the base of the fountain, deep in thought, and Rory shivered at the possibility that he could be thinking about her. She walked towards Tristan, stopping in front of him.

He turned to look at her, a playful smirk on his face. "Can't stay away from me, can you?"

"I know," Rory blurted out. "I mean, I know what you were talking about yesterday when you left my house."

Tristan took a step closer to her, his gaze locked on hers. "That was my intention." 

Rory swallowed, knowing she had to get the words out no matter how much they refused to come. "I just thought you always liked Summer. A part of me knew that there was a connection between us, but I didn't want to acknowledge it. I was afraid."

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, Rory." Tristan idly ran his finger down her arm.

Rory rubbed her forehead with one hand, unconsciously leaning back against the fountain. "You must think I'm so foolish. It took me so long to figure everything out..." 

"Trust me, you're worth the wait. But we do have a small problem, Rory."

"We do?" 

Tristan placed his hands on the fountain on either side of her head, blocking her in. "That kiss you gave me the other night still left my appetite insatiable."

Rory's mouth dropped open. "You were awake?"

Tristan chuckled in amusement at her incredulous expression. "Yeah, I was."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You had to sort things out on your own. Besides it worked, didn't it?"

"Yes."

Her quiet admission had his heart soaring. "We still have to do something about my problem though, Rory." He bent over her, his lips hovering millimeters from hers, teasing her. He pulled away before they could touch, his eyes twinkling. "And now that I have you right where I want you..." 

Rory stared up at him, seeing the mischief in his eyes and knowing that she could play that game too. "Two words, Tristan. Miss Patty." 

He groaned lightly, removing his hands from the fountain. He laughed when he saw her gloating expression. "You're going to hold that over my head from now on, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"You're something else, Rory Gilmore."

"You'll get used to it," she quipped.

"I plan to." 

Impulsively, Rory threw her arms around Tristan's neck and buried her head in his shoulder, breathing in the fresh, clean scent of the soap he had used. A slight whiff of his faint cologne made her head swirl.

"Look at me, Rory." The huskiness in his voice had her eyes meeting his. "I can't kiss you if your head is stuck in my shoulder." Tristan cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. He leaned towards her, letting his lips brush hers for a second before pulling back slightly. He searched her expressive blue eyes. "Is this okay?" Rory's nod was all the encouragement he needed. His lips met hers once again, this time initiating a lingering kiss. Tristan didn't rush anything, for he knew they had all the time in the world. A few moments later, he pulled away, grinning when he saw that her eyes were still closed. He took her hands in his, bringing his lips to her smooth skin. Her eyes opened, and she gazed in wonder at him.

"Rory, I don't know where this road will lead us, but I do know that I will never hurt you."

Rory smiled at him tenderly. "Good, because now that I've found you, I don't intend to let you go." She wrapped her arms around Tristan's slim waist, resting her forehead against his. In that moment, both knew that there was nowhere else they would rather be than with each other.

The End. 

Author's Note Two: Several people have asked about other stories that I have written. I'm the author of _Never Say Never _and _If You Just Believe, _and the co-author of _Fallen So Deeply _and _Some Kind of Wonderful _with the amazingly talented Hilda (Diddlee). You can find all of those here on Fanfiction.net. The sequel to _When Snow Falls _will be posted soon! 


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